1. Field of the Present Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to dishwasher appliances and similar apparatuses and more particularly to such apparatuses with mechanized shelf-raising and lowering capability.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Laurent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,624, A swing-out supporting arrangement primarily intended for a wall-mounted oven of domestic type comprises a bottom plate supported by link arms, said bottom plate and an insert, possibly associated with said bottom plate, being retractable from the oven by a swing-out movement without the use of any front door. The bottom plate with the insert can be moved between a first position inside the oven and a second swing-out position below and in front of the over front wall. Preferably, the swing-out movement is performed by means of an electric motor which is rotatable between two end positions. The principle of invention can also be used for a ceiling plate supported by link arms, said plate being swingingly displaced in a corresponding lifting movement from an oven positioned at a low level.
Vogelgesang et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,158 describes a pull down shelf assembly for facilitating access to upper storage shelves. The shelf assembly includes a shelf guide track mechanism and the storage shelf slidably mounted for movement between an extended position and a retracted position. A pantographic pull down mounting assembly coupled between a shelf mounting bracket and the track mechanism produces pantographic movement thereof between a deployed position, for increased access, and an elevated stored position. The pantographic assembly is mounted therebetween at locations producing near-horizontal pantographic movement of the track mechanism with the storage shelf carried thereby throughout an arcuate path between the deployed position and the elevated stored position. A spring biasing mechanism coupled between the mounting bracket and one of the arms biases the track mechanism toward the stored position. A shelf locking mechanism, positioned between the track mechanism and the storage shelf, locks the storage shelf in the extended position during movement of the track mechanism from the deployed position to the elevated stored position.
Nusser, U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,858, discloses a motor driven movable cabinet that provides top shelf accessibility by being lowered outwardly onto the underlying counter top and retracted back to its original position against the wall. A motor driven threaded screw lifting mechanism powers the cabinet's movement and consists of a reversible electric motor and a drive shaft assembly, including a drive shaft and a threaded screw drive rod. The motor is attached to the drive shaft assembly by a universal joint and a load bearing bracket pivot assembly. This motorized mechanism is then fastened to a wall frame that is secured to the wall behind the cabinet. The cabinet is also attached to the wall frame by at least four L-shaped swing arms and to the motorized mechanism by a pivot mount bracket hingedly attached to the bottom of the cabinet. The pivot assembly supports the drive shaft assembly and the universal joint allows for a change in the angle from the pivot assembly along the drive shaft and threaded screw drive rod to the bottom of the cabinet. The actual raising and lowering operations result when the motor rotates the drive shaft causing the rod to shorten as it screws up into the shaft thereby raising the cabinet. The cabinet is lowered when the threaded screw rod lengthens by unscrewing from the drive shaft. At least four L-shaped swing arms assist the motored mechanism in moving the cabinet by maintaining the cabinet's parallel position to the wall.
Wallen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,195,969, discloses a dishwasher with front top opening, and movable supports for guiding movement of the support first vertically and then outwardly for access through the top opening.
Heyward, U.S. Pat. No. 1,283,513, discloses a typewriter desk with side flanges of a desk top slotted so that the desk top may by quickly and easily removed.
The related art described above discloses apparatuses with moving shelves, however, the prior art fails to disclose a means for moving a shelf linearly and then in an arc from a rearward lower position to an extended upper position using slots enabling the application of only horizontal forces, followed by lifting forces in a simplified apparatus. The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art providing heretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary.